Location: Eagle Lake, California, United States

Season Dates: June 23, 2013 - July 20, 2013
Application Deadline: May 20, 2013

Website: http://anthro.utah.edu/zoo-arch/course.php

Program Type
Field school

Affiliation: University of Utah

Project Director: Jack M. Broughton

Project Description

Questions involving past human foraging behavior, paleoecology, and paleoclimate can be addressed through the identification and analysis of archaeological vertebrate remains. These aspects of zooarchaeology serve as the main goals of this novel, hands-on, laboratory- and field-based course. Unlike any other archaeological field experience, students will gain expertise in the identification of fragmentary vertebrate remains from archaeological contexts in the western U.S. and at the same time be immersed in the natural history and ecology of local vertebrate animals in a remote and scenic setting. Topics that will be covered include foraging theory, prey choice, the nature of the archaeofaunal record, units of quantification, taphonomy, ecological concepts and theory, vertebrate taxonomy and natural history, and skeletal preparation. Additional experience in archaeological vertebrate identification and analysis will be gained through the completion of a problem-oriented research project based on the analysis of one of several provided archaeofaunal assemblages from sites in western North America. The research project will be presented at 8th Annual Stanley J. Olsen Eagle Lake Zooarchaeological Conference held at the end of the course. As of May 1st, we still have two slots open.

Period(s) of Occupation: Historic/Holocene/Pleistocene

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Experience Required: No previous field experience or background in zooarchaeology is required and we welcome a wide range of academic backgrounds.Previous coursework in archaeology or related fields is recommended but not essential.

Room and Board Arrangements

This course will take place at the Eagle Lake Field Station, a relatively isolated facility located in the scenic and relatively undeveloped northeastern corner of California. The remnant of a much larger Pleistocene lake, Eagle Lake sits at the junction of four major geologic provinces: bordered on the west by the forested slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades, on the east by the arid Great Basin, and on the north and east by the volcanic Modoc Plateau. This region offers a unique set of biological communities, including a rich vertebrate fauna. The Eagle Lake Field Station now operates independently and includes dormitory style accommodations, a dining hall, a small library with internet access, and conference room as well as other amenities to enhance recreational use.
Breakfast  Lunch, and Dinner will be provided at the Field Station and are included in the course fee. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.

Cost: $737 per week (approximate course fee)

Academic Credit
Name of institution offering credit: University of Utah
Number of credits offered: 6 semester credit hours
Tuition: $1991.88 (approximate)

Contact Information
Jack M. Broughton
270 S 1400 E Room 102, University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
USA
jack.broughton@anthro.utah.edu
Phone: 801-581-8869
Fax: 801-581-6252

Recommended Bibliography

Lyman, R. Lee (2008). Quantitative Paleozoology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York.

Reitz, E.J. and E.S. Wing. (2008). Zooarchaeology, second edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York.